Residents of a Union City apartment building were trying to recover last week after a fire left several of them homeless and killed 63-year-old Pedro Gomez.
The fast-moving three-alarm blaze claimed Gomez’s life on Friday, Dec. 6. Gomez, a native of Cuba, lived at 2512 Bergenline Ave. and worked in Clifton as an electrician. He was found, according to Hudson County Prosecutor Ed DeFazio, “severely burned in a La-Z-Boy chair.”
Due to the extent of the burns, it is proving difficult to find a reason for the fire, according to DeFazio. The county prosecutor’s office takes over whenever a fatality occurs within the jurisdiction of the county.
A friend of the family who did not want her name used said, “I knew him but not that well, but he was definitely a good man.”
DeFazio said that “there is no evidence that it was arson.”
According to Mayor Brian Stack, the fire started in the kitchen of the railroad-style apartment and spread quickly through crawlspaces. Stack added that the upper floors were severely damaged but are repairable.
“I had a meeting with all the families yesterday [Monday Dec. 9] in my office to let them know what’s going to be done,” Stack said Tuesday. “We’re assisting the victims’ families. Also, the North Hudson Community Action Corporation is picking up the entire tab for the victims to stay in hotels.”
Stack added, “I’d say they’ll be out [of the apartments] a minimum of a month.”
According to North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue Director Jeff Welz, the first alarm was sounded at 2:22 p.m. After a third alarm sounded at 2:52, assistance from Jersey City and Hoboken fire departments, as well as other North Hudson Regional units, came in a mutual aid situation to help battle the blaze and cover the fire stations left empty by the responding units.
By the time the fire was brought under control, eight families were without shelter. Said DeFazio, “This is a real tragedy, especially at this time of year.”
According to Union City spokesperson Gayle Kaufman, “We are working with the Red Cross and the North Hudson Community Action Corporation, as well as the mayor’s Civic Association. We are trying to find apartments for the victims. There is also the Union City Fire Victims’ Assistance Fund, which is an open fund. Anyone can donate to it at any time.”
Mayor Stack said, “My heart goes out to the families. They are very poor and most of them lost everything.”
Stack and his civic organization have relocated approximately 150 families in the last year. He also stated that the families, when they do return to the apartments, will be paying the same rental rate as before the fire. There will be no increase.
Abelino Avelenda who works at Parentini’s Pharmacy across the street, was in the back of the pharmacy when the fire broke out. Once he heard the sirens of the fire engines, he came out onto the street. Said Avelenda, “I heard the commotion and saw the smoke. They [fire department] were out there for hours. I don’t know exactly how long it took them to get here because I was in the back at the time.”
Local merchant Vladmiro Rodriquez, who co-owns the Barberia Hispana barber shop which is located almost directly beneath the damaged apartments, said, “Everything’s fine. We have no damage. Everybody says the Jersey City fire department is the best, but our fire department [North Hudson Regional] was here fast.”
Winter a dangerous time for fires
According to North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue Director Jeff Welz, the holiday season is an especially dangerous time of year for fires. “Candles are a huge problem,” said Welz last week. “Home fires as the result of burning candles are one of the fastest-growing kind of house fires in the country. There’s been a rapid increase in those kinds of fires.”
Welz added that cold weather can cause an increase in candle use. “In many urban areas, you have power outages and people use candles for light,” said Welz. Also, people use candles for various religious ceremonies. Said Welz, “We found one woman who had a shrine with candles in her linen closet. There are many people here from different cultures.”
Another cause of many fires, especially in urban areas, is the use of non-“UL”-approved lighting. Said Welz, “A lot of people go for the cheap $.99 lights.”
The “UL” designation stands for “Underwriters Laboratories” and according to that organization’s web site (www.ul.com), “Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) is an independent, not-for-profit product safety testing and certification organization. We have tested products for public safety for more than a century. Each year, more than 17 billion UL marks are applied to products worldwide.”
Director Welz is urging the public this holiday season to make sure their lights are UL-approved.
Said Welz, “The lights might be cheap, but how much is your house worth? Or your life?”
According to the Federal Emergency Management’s Agency’s web site (www.usfa.fema.gov), there are a number of things the public can do to safeguard their homes this holiday season:
“Inspect holiday lights each year for frayed wires, bare spots, gaps in the insulation, broken or cracked sockets, and excessive kinking or wear before putting them up. Use only lighting listed by an approved testing laboratory.”
“Do not link more than three light strands, unless the directions indicate it is safe. Connect strings of lights to an extension cord before plugging the cord into the outlet. Make sure to periodically check the wires – they should not be warm to the touch.”
“If you are using a metallic or artificial tree, make sure it is flame retardant.”
“Avoid using lit candles. If you do use them, make sure they are in stable holders and place them where they cannot be easily knocked down. Never leave the house with candles burning.”
“Finally, as in every season, have working smoke alarms installed on every level of your home, test them monthly and keep them clean and equipped with fresh batteries at all times. Know when and how to call for help. And remember to practice your home escape plan.” – Dylan Archilla